Taiwan environmentalists suspicious over wetland fire
Taitung's Zhiben Wetlands catch fire after survey of endangered birdlife released
Taitung’s Zhiben Wetlands caught fire late Sunday afternoon (March 26), burning into the night, fueled by strong winds, spreading over an area of five hectares per UDN.
The fire drew the suspicion of environmentalists who completed a survey of endangered bird species in the wetland earlier in the day. They called upon the Taitung Fire Department to fully investigate whether the fire was an act of arson.
The Society of Wilderness (SOW) and the Wild Bird Society of Taitung County conducted a wild bird field study on Sunday morning, counting the number of endangered bird species such as ring-necked pheasants, orioles, and Taiwan thrush. Many of these birds nest in the shrubs on the north bank of the Zhiben River mouth.
SOW Taitung branch member Su Yating (蘇雅婷) said ring-necked pheasants are classified as a "critically endangered" bird species by the Council of Agriculture. The survey found 196 such pheasants in the Zhiben Wetland, a record high.
After announcing the results of the survey, environmentalists were surprised that a fire broke out in the wetland at 5 p.m. Su said the ring-necked pheasant is only abundant in the Hualien-Taitung area, and it is a species under threat that needs conservation. Read More…
